Watermarks can be embedded or otherwise included in media to enable additional information to be conveyed with the media. For example, audio watermarks can be embedded or otherwise included in the audio data/signal portion of a media stream, file and/or signal to convey data, such as media identification information, copyright protection information, timestamps indicative of broadcast time, etc., with the media. Such watermarks enable monitoring of the distribution and/or use of media, such as by detecting watermarks present in television broadcasts, radio broadcasts, streamed multimedia, etc., to identify the particular media being presented to viewers, listeners, users, etc. Such information can be valuable to advertisers, content providers, and the like.
Prior media monitoring systems employing watermarks typically include watermark decoders that identify the information contained in the watermarks. Some prior systems identify the timestamps in the watermarks and transitions between timestamps to a relatively coarse resolution, such as a resolution of one minute.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.